Ttrbibtg cobpoeation



P. A. SCHWAB.

AUTOMOBILE BODY CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED A'UGJI. i911.

l'umnm (M. 1919.

2 SHEEYS SHEE] l.

P. A. SCHWAB AUTOMOBILE BODY SOHSFHSCHGH.

mammm M ATTORNEY J the upper edges of the following is a specification.

neuron snares ome orrrcn.

3?ETER.A SGHWAB, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO ADAMS-WILLIAMS lliIAN''l'J'lEACl- I TUBING GDEPQBATION, OF NEW YORK, N. 2.; A CORPORATION 9F NEW YORK.

AUTOMOBILE-BODY 'CONSTEUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Uct. 28, 1919 Application filed August 4, 1317. Serial in. 184,513.

- \J '1 'o all whom it may concern:

lie it known that 1, PETER A. Scrrwan, a citizen of the United States, and res1dent oi New Yorkcity, in. the. county of New York and State of New York, hath invented certain new and useful Improvements in Au toinobile-Body Constructions, of which the This invention is an improvement "in that type of convertible automobiles in which transparent panels having rigid frames may be inserted at will to close the space between the upper edges of the body and the top to convert the automobile to a closed body n1achine such as a limousine or sedan from an open body machine such as a touring car or runabout. A construction of the general type to which my invention is particularly up )licab le is shown in the Williams Patent No. 1,151,315 issued August 24th, 1915, al though itwill be evident that it might be used in other types ofconstruction or. for other purposes.

My invention relates particularly to the construction of the horizontal howsor other horizontal members of the top and to which panels are detachably connected.

The main objects of my invention are to more efl'ectively hold the panels down on their supporting walls, prevent side move ment or rattling, conceal the retainers, hold the panels in position even if the retainers should break and provide a simple and inexpensive construction easy to manufacture and assemble and easy to operate inthe insertion and removal of the panels.

I may accomplish these objects and carry out my invention in various ditl'erent Ways but preferably the horizontal members of the top are in the form of inverted channels and within the channels are reslhent retainf ersso constrilcted that they press downon the upper edges of the panels and act not only to hold the upper edges against lateral movement betwcen the side walls of the channel but also to hold the panels down on their supports. In the specific form employed for holding the panels corresponding to the stationary wall sections of thebody the retainers permit the upper edge of the panel to-"be inserted first andlpermit the elitire panel to be raised until the lower edge may be'k rnovcd laterally to position and lowered into the desiredoperative engagement with the supporting side wall. This specific arrangement is not employed in con- I is aside elevation showing rather diagrainmanic-ally an automobile body, the frame workwithout the covering of the collapsible top'and detachable wall anels; Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation showing the upper and lower parts of the panel corresponding to a stationary wall section of the body;

Fig. 3 1s a transverse section on the-hue 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4: is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the wall panel with only its upper edge insorted; v v

Fig. 5 1s a perspective view of a portion of the vehicle, a door being open and a part of the horizontal bow of the top being broken away;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the door and its retainer; and

Fig. 7 is an edge view of the construction -of Fig. 6.

I have illustrated my invention in connection with an automobile body having two doors or hinged wall sections 10 and 11, an intermediate stationary wall section 12 and a rear stationary wall section 13. Onthis body, there is mounted a top, the frame of which includes an upwardly exending pivoted bow 1 .1 and a horizontal how 15 made up of two sections in alinement with each other and hinged together, the. rear section being hinged to the vertical bow 1d and the front section belng connected to or rigid with a cross how not shown. The letter or the front ends of the front section of the side bows may be, securedto the side stan chions 16 of the wind-shield. This frame work serves to support a covering of fabric or any other suitable sheet material, which latter may be provided with side sections covering the portion in the rear of the bow 14, and extending forwardly from the latter to the first panel but I have not illustrated v such covering as it forms no portion of my invention. 0 far as the generalv construc-, tion of the frame of the top is concerned, it also forms no portion of my invention. It is only essential that such frame, "whether collapsible or rigid, includes a substantially horizontal member which is more or less nearly parallel to the upper edge of the side wall of the body.

As an important feature of my. invention, I make this horizontal bow 15 or side member of the frame in the form of an inverted channel bent from sheet metal. The transverse sectional form is not particularly important as it may be rounded or flat on the top or sides. As illustrated, the channel has a flat top wall 17 and parallel depending side walls 18 and 19. The side wall 18 is somewhat narrower than the side wall 19 and has an inwardly extending flange or lip 20 at its lower edge. This side wall 18 serves as the outer wall of the how, that is the side wall outermost on the vehicle. The other or inner side wall 19 is illustratedas being strengthened or reinforced by being the upper edges of their corresponding wall sections, into the channel in the how 15.

' The retainers used in connection with the stationary panel 23 may be of the form illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Within the channel and of a width substantiallyequal .-to the width of the latter, I provide one or :JIIOI'Q blocks 2 L mounted to slide substantially vertically within the channel and limited as to downward movement by the inturned lip or flange 20. The blocks may be of any suitable material although from a practical standpoint I prefer to employ indurated fiber, hard rubber or other similar substance. Each block has a groove or re cess in its under surface and of a width substantially equal to the thickness of the upper edge of the panel or some extension on the latter so that the upper edge of the panel may be held against lateral movement when inserted within said groove. This panel is shown as being. materially less in thickness than the width of the channel and freely insertible upwardly into the space.

between the vertical wall 19 and the inwardly directed'flange 20. For resiliently pressing the block 24I downwardly and for positioning it, I preferably employ a leaf spring 25. In Fig. 2, l have illustrated a single lea'f spring 25 having a block 2glfat each end thereof and having its center portion provided with a projection 26 adapted to enter a slight recess or aperture in the top wall of the channel so as to hold the spring and retainer blocks against lengthwise movement. It will, of course, be evident that a rivet or screw could be employed at, this point or that a separate spring mi ht be employed for each retainer block and that more or less than two retainer blocks mi ht be employed for each stationary panel. 1- though the accompanying drawing shows "only-one such stationary panel, itwill of course be evident that with dllt'erent body dcsigns the number of stationary as well as the number of movable panels will vary.

The range of vertical movement of the blocks 24% is such that the upper edge of the panel may first be inserted in the groove in the under side of the block and may then he raised until its lower edge will swing over its support after which the panel may be dropped down into proper engagement with. said support. This interengaging connection between thesupport and the panel may vary in different construction, but preferably each panel carries two or more depending lugs 27 and the upper edge of the wall has sockets orrecesses 28 into which said lugs may be lowered. As shown, the wall has a molding strip 29 thereon in which the sockets are rormed and the molding strip also carries clamping screws 30 for engaging with the sides of the lugs to positively hold the lugs and the base of the panel in position. In actual practice in most constructions, these clamping screws, are entirely unnecessary V where my improved top bow construction and resilient retainers are employed. If the sockets28 be made of proper size in respect to the size of'the lugs 27, the resilient retainers 24 will hold the panels firmly in place and no clamping screws 80 are necessary. It will be note that the lugs are oi such length that when. the upper edge of the panel is raised to the limiting position as shown in Fig. 4, the lugs may pass over the top of the molding strip 29 and that after reaching a position above the sockets, the downward movementof the panel and resilient retainers is such that the latter do not engage with theilange 20 and continually exert a downward pres sure as well as holding the panel against lateral or arring movement. lVhen the panel is entirely removed, the retainer will move down until it rests upon the flange .20 I

but the latter prevents such movement as would permit'the retainer to be exposed-to view.

The specific form'of resilient retainer em-, ployed in connection with the panel carried by a hinged wall section, namely a door, is

shown more in detail in Figs. 5, (land 7.

,In this construction, there is employed a block 31 and a spring 32 similar in many respects to the block 24 and spring 26' previously, referred to. Preferably only a single block is used and theleait' spring is 'securedto the top wall of the channel by a screw bolt-or rivet 33 which securing means having the panel extend up into the channel,'it'-is of such height that it-may swing beneath. theside wall 18 of the latter. The under side of the block 31 carries an exte nsion 34,'preferably-in the form of a piece of sheet metal bent to appropriate shape. One end of this is secured to the under side of the block wall and the opposite end includes a dbwnwardly facinggroove or recess for receiving the upper edge of the panel 21. The spring 32 presses the. block and. extension 34: downwardly and as the door'swings to closed position, it passes beneath the upturned free end of the extension 34 and raises said extension and the block against the tension'of the spring 32 until it snaps into position as shown in Fig. 7.

The extension 34. may be of such size and shape that the inturned flange of the channel may serve to limit the downward movement of the block but in practice and to take care of slight variations in the height of panels and the distance between the channel and the upper edge of the door a separate limiting means is preferably em ployed. As shown, the block 31 has a verti cal slot in the outer or -free end thereof and a boltlifiu) is carried by the top wall of the channel and has its head beneath the block.

The block is thus guided vertically the bolt within the slot and cannot move downwardly farther than is permitted by the head of the bolt. For adjusting this height, the bolt is threaded into the top wall and has a lock nut on its upper end.

It will be noted that the block, springand stop are entirely'concealed within the channel and the only part exposed is the narrow. extension 34 with its upturned end beneath which the upper edge of the panel a channel presenting depending side walls, an inturned flange on the lower edge of one of said walls, a resilient retainer incluiiling; a block within said channel above said flange, and a spring for pressing said block downwardly, said flange serving. as a stop to frame rigid therewith having its upper edge adapted to enter said channel, means within said channel engaging with the upper part of said panel to hold the latter spaced from said side walls, and yieldingly permitting limited vertical movement of the panel in the channel, the lower edge of said panel being movable laterally to a position above said wall section when the upper edge is in maximum raised position in said channel, and interlocking means at the upper edge of said Well section and the lower edge of said panel for preventing sliding or lateral movement of the panel upon the lowering of the panel into seating engagement with said wall section.

l. A convertible automobile body includa wall section, a-top having a channel with depending side walls, a panel having,

the upper edge of less thickness than the dis-- ta'nce between said side walls, a resilient retainer within said channel for permitting vertical movement of the panel but engaging with the latter to hold it against lateral movement between the side walls of the channel, and a pair of vertieal'lugs and c0- acting sockets at the upper edge of said wall section and the lower edge ofsaid panel for preventing lateral or sliding movement of the panel, said retainer serving to hold said lugs within said sockets.

5. A convertible automobile body, including; a wall section, a top having a channel with depending side walls, a panel. having an upper edge disposed between said side wallsfa resilient retainer within said channel for permitting vertical movement of the panel within the channel, and a pair of ver' tical lugs and co-acting sockets'at the upper edge of said wall section and the lower edge of said panel for preventing, lateral or slid ing movement of the panel, said retainer serving to hold said lugs within said sockets.

6. A convertible automobile body includinga wall section, a top having an inverted channel, a block within said channel and having a recess in its under surface, a spring normally pressing said block downwardly, a removable panel having its upper edge adapted to be received within said recess and thereby held against engagement with the side walls of the channel, and lug at the lower edge of said panel adapted to en ter the upper edge of said wall section.

2'. A vehicle, having a top ncluding a channel presenting depending side walls,

the lower edge of the inner wall being disposed materially below the lower edge of the outer wall, a vehicle body including a wall portion and a door, a removable wall panel having its lower edge supported by said vehicle (body wall and its upper edge within said channel above the lower edge of the outer wall of the latter, and a removl0 able panel secured to said door and having its upper edge beneath said channel and at a lower elevation than the outer wall of the latter but above the lower edge of the inner wall of said channel.

8. A vehicle, having a top including a channel presenting" depending side walls, the lower edge of the inner wall being'disposed materially below the lower edge of the outer wall, aveliiele body including a wall portion and adder, a removable walla-file panel having'its lower ed e support/ed; said vehicle bodywall and its upper edge within said ehannel above the lower edge at the outer wall of the latter, a removalfle panel securedito said door and, having 111$; 25 upper edge beneath said channel ztnd at a lower elevatiqn than the outer wall oftlie latter butahoye the lower edge of the inner wall of said eliannel, and separate, resilient retainers within said chamiel fonengage 30 inent Withflsaid panels, the retainer eng'ag ing with {said door panel permitting tlie lateral ineiiement of the letter from beneath v the channel.

Signedfiat- New York city, in the eou ity 135 and State of New York; this of New York,

id-day oi August, A. D. 1917:. i

" PETER A. 

